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BooK V.. ., Royal. Commentaries. ·
which Aldana had employed to fill water and cut wood, of which he killed chree
or four, and took as many Prifoner.s ;- befides fourteen or fifreen ofthem who of
their own accord revolted to his parcy , and gave notice and caucion of che Am~
buíh. And though the Forces of A/dima were much more in nuinber , yet they
dudl: noc advemure to re[cue che Prifoners , for they were ali Foot, and che Ene~
my Hor[e, and their Powder not half fo good, ·nor their Guns fo well fixed, and
the .Countrey a deep and dead Sand. Acofta fent the perfons which were taken to
Piyarro, who received them very kindly, and furniíhed them with Arrns, Horfes
and Money: ·they acquainted him wich che ill condition of che Fleet , how ill
tbey were provided with mea and viétuals ; and moíl: ·of their people being fick
and di[eafed .were puc afhoar , and fome were dead and thrown into che Sea ;
tliofe that remained aboard were fickly and ill provided, and wanted boch Arms
and Ammunicion ; that they had received no late News of the Prefidenr, nor
did they know where he was, nor when he would come, .nor did they expeét
him for this whole year. And though chis was great good News to hirn, yet
when he confidered the weakneís of che four Ships , rhen he began to be fenfible
of the evil Counfel which fome of his Confidenrs had given him , to burn bis
own five Sbips, and how much FrancifcoC,11rvajal was in che righc , when he con–
demned thac counfel , .and faid , one of thefe five Ships was able to fighc with
all che ocher four which Aldana commanded. After this Acofta failed to che Porc
of Huaura, where Palentin9 faith chere is excellent good Sale, and in fuch abun–
dance as is fufficient to fupply a!l Italy, France :md Spain. '
775
Gonyalo Pi~arro having received intelligence of whac Acofta had perforriled at
LoJ Reyes, and what Diego de Mora had done at Truxi!Lo, he refolved to fend Licen–
ciadoCarvajal with three h en under his command·to hinder A1Jofta frorn
landing his men, or taking cutcing wood, and likewi[e to keep Diego de
Mor,i in fome awe, and rnatters as o_ccafion fhould ferve. Licenciado
Carvajal having accordingly provided all things neceífary for his march, che Lieu–
tenant General Carvajal gave a íl:op to his proceedings, condemning the Counfell
as noc good, for he was perfuaded wichin himfelf that he would revolc wich ali bis
men to che other parcy : that which hath fixed him, faip he, fo long witb us was
·nothing bue a delire to revenge che murcher of his brocher che Agent : and now
fince that is over, and che lace Ordinances repealed, and a general Pardon given for
all Crimes paít, there is no doubc, bue he will pafs over to che King's parcy,. wich
whom all his Kindred and Relations are engaged, and are men of quality, :.md emi–
nent in their Offices; nor can he forgec, how wichout any faulc, che haleer was–
abouc bis neck, and the fentence ready to be execured. 7ohn de Acofta was of
the fame mind, and earneíl:ly perfuaded Piyarro not to fend him; upon which che
defign was altered, and Acofta was fent in his place wich che chree hundred men
forrnerly ordered for Licenciado Carvajal: but when Acofta was on his march, he
ob[erved a kind of backwardneís in forne of his Souldiers , and an inclinacion to
revolt unto che ocher parcy : che which was verified by the flight of cwelve Soul–
diers , rnen of note and greac reputation. And fome of bis friends aífured him
( whether true or fal[e ic is not cercain) that feveral others had the fame intenrion;
and chac the chief Leader of chem was Lorenro Mexi.l de Figu'eroa , ihe .Conde de
(lo1:t1era's _Son-in-law; on ~hich inforrnation, wit~out farther proof or teíl:irn~nY.
he put h1m t6 death : Th1s Gentleman was rnamed to Donna Leonor de Bobaddla,
the Widow of Nunno '/ovar, who was Lieucenant General to Govemour Hernando
'de Soto, in that enterprize which was defigned for che Cdnqueíl: of Florida, as we
have at large related in chat Hiíl:ory: he !efe one Son and a Daughter called Ma-:–
ria Sarmiento, who was married in CoZ,co to Alonfo de Loayfa an Inhabi~ant cif chat
City : che very nighc thac they were rnarried, happened che infurreétion of Fran:
cifco HernandeZ, Giran, as we fhall' relate, God willing, in its due pl~ce. The Son '
was called Gr;nyalo Mexia de Figueroa, a very hopefull yourh, he went wirh me to
the Grammar School, but he died very young, to the grief of ali chofe who
were acquafrited with him. Bue lec us leave Acofta upon bis march, and che
others upon che coaíl:, to relate che difaíl:er which befell Pedro de.Pue!les in f2.!!_iru :
for he , .having received advice chat che late Ordinances were repeak:d, and ~ ge-:–
neral Pardon given for all Crimes and Treafons already paíl:, he refolved ·to accepc
the benefic of chat gratious Prodamation, and return to his allegiance and dmy
towards his Majeíl:y, and chereby renounce Pifarro and his Caufe, for whom and
for which he had zealouíly engaged hirrifelf in formijr times.
To